It’s … The Encyclopedia of American loons! Our new and exciting series presenting a representative sample of American loons from A-Z.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

#142: Pam Geller

Blogger (her blog is called “Atlas Shrugs”, you do the math), political activist, and co-founder of Stop Islamization of America, Geller has been cited as one of the most virulent opponents of the Park51 community center and mosque in Lower Manhattan – and even as one of the leaders of the anti-mosque movement. She has, understandably, been denounced for hate speech from several critics, and not only for her anti-Islam stance; she has been a staunch defender of Slobodan Milošević, denied the existence of Serbian concentration camps in the 1990s, and claims that black South Africans are launching a "genocide" against whites (she has also expressed support for the far right English Defence League).

Herself of Jewish background, the general tenor of her screeds can be summed up by the following quote: “It galls me that the Jews I fight for are self-destructive, suicidal even. Here in America (and the world over), Israel's real friends are in the Republican party and yet over 80% of American Jews are Democrats. I don't get it. The conventional wisdom on the Left is that Israel is an oppressor and her actions are worse than the world's most depraved and dangerous regimes. Chomsky, Finkelstein, Soros – these men are the killers. [… Israel should] stand loud and proud. Give up nothing. Turn over not a pebble. For every rocket fired, drop a MOAB. Take back Gaza. Secure Judea and Samaria. Stop buying Haaretz. Throw leftists bums out.”

Regarding Park51, she claims that it is a “Mega Mosque at Ground Zero” (truth and accuracy have never been cherished by this kind of people), viewed by Muslims as a "triumphal" monument built on "conquered land". She has also opposed other mosques and claims that the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem should be removed.

Geller says Ayn Rand is "the greatest philosopher in human history," (which alone would qualify her for an entry in this Encyclopedia), and claims that her “blog is, and its purpose is, clearly defined by Rand's philosophy.” (despite my distaste for Rand, I suspect that Geller’s religious right viewpoints are actually pretty far removed from anything Rand would have wanted to be associated with). The blog concentrates on what she perceives to be a violent threat to the United States by Islamic extremists and liberal politicians. Her “style of writing is like one long primordial scream”, but the main focus is anti-Islam.

Among the tasteful and accurate posts on her blog are the following:- Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan (who is Jewish) supports Nazi ideology (the post was accompanied by a fake picture of her in a Nazi uniform) (on a related note)- A video suggesting that Muslims have sex with goats- A doctored photo showing President Obama urinating on an American flag, with claims that Obama's mother was involved in pornography and that Obama "was involved with a crack whore in his youth".- Accusations to the effect that Obama is an anti-Semite doing the bidding of "Islamic overlords," (posting an essay suggesting, without any evidence, that the President is the "love child" of Malcolm X).- Democrats are Nazis (repeatedly)

It's ... perhaps even sobering to see how maniacs like Geller deteriorate into more and more insane accusations over time (and she started with the bar rather high(/low)). Her conspiracy theories regarding Turkish-American Cultural Center being built in Maryland is a case in point. And this rant is pretty much as incoherent as they come.

Geller seems to be on a roll; always shrill and lunatic, she seems to be determined to sink even deeper into wingnut conspiracy theories. And for some double standards, taken to ridiculous extremes, this remains more or less unbeatable.